Exercise Stress Test ECG
Exercise Stress Test
An exercise stress test, also known as a treadmill stress test, evaluates how well your heart performs under physical stress by monitoring the ECG.
Unlike a stress echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to visualise the heart, the stress test focuses solely on the electrical activity of the heart during exercise. While the sensitivity and specificity of the stress ECG are lower than those of the stress echo for detecting ischemic heart disease (narrowing of the coronary arteries), the exercise stress test still has valuable indications and used in assessing heart function.
During exercise, your body needs more oxygen, so the heart pumps more blood. If there are any blockages in the arteries that supply blood to your heart, this can reduce the oxygen supply, which will show changes on the ECG. If that happens, it indicates a “positive” test result. Additionally, exercise can sometimes trigger irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), and this test can help identify those issues.
Your doctor might recommend a stress ECG for several reasons, such as checking your fitness level for driving, joining a gym, or starting a specific exercise program. It can also assess your risk if you’ve had a heart attack or heart surgery. Overall, this test helps gather important information about your heart’s health during physical activity.
Preparing for your visit
- For preparation, your skin will be cleaned with alcohol wipes and gently abraded with skin prep tape.
- Please note that the patients will be required to remove their shirt above the waist for the procedure and you will be provided with a disposable gown. Female patients can keep their bra on.
- For preparation, some hair may need to be shaved off to improve the electrical signals.
- Electrodes are placed on your chest with a sticky, but easy-to-remove, adhesive.
- After the ECG electrodes have been placed on the chest, you will be taken to the stress test room where you may find one other health professional – a qualified doctor to supervise the test.
- ECG electrodes are connected to the ECG monitor with the help of lead wires (seen as a continuous ECG graph on the computer screen) and you will be asked to get on to the treadmill or exercise bike. The treadmill starts very slow at a speed of 2.7 km/hr and an incline of 10 degrees and will go faster and higher every few minutes depending on the protocol being used. The idea is to get your heart rate faster to its maximum which is determined by age and fitness level. Most people can exercise between 5 to 12 minutes.
- The treadmill or the bike is stopped when you tell the staff to stop due to any reason (either you are fatigued and tired or you have chest pain or significant shortness of breath). The treadmill/bike is also stopped by the doctor for other reasons.
- At this stage (Recovery stage) you will be given a chair to sit and relax. ECG will continue to be monitored for another 3 to 5 minutes, and if there are no changes, it will be stopped, electrodes removed, and your chest cleaned up.
- Avoid a big meal before the test.
- Avoid wearing lotions or oils as they can interfere with electrode adhesion.
- Consult your doctor about the medications prior to taking the test.
- Wear clothes and footwear that are comfortable for exercise. Ensure that the top is separate and can be easily removed.
- If the result is very abnormal, the specialist may call and inform your doctor straight away.
- Feeling a little bit dizzy after the test is normal. Shortness of breath proportional to the exercise performed is also normal. However, disproportional shortness of breath and any chest pain / discomfort or palpitations etc is abnormal and should be reported to the doctor present during the test. Any drop in blood pressure is also abnormal.
- A normal test will most often mean that you were able to exercise as long as or longer than most people of your age and gender. You also did not have symptoms or concerning changes in blood pressure and/or your ECG. A normal result means that blood flow through the coronary arteries is probably normal.
Exercise Stress Test - How the Test is Done
Other Cardiology Services
24hr Holter
Monitor
A 24-hour Holter monitor service provides continuous heart rhythm monitoring to detect irregularities or assess ongoing conditions.
Echocardiogram
(TTE)
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound that assesses heart structure and function in real time, and is valuable for diagnosing conditions.
Stress
Echocardiogram
A stress echocardiogram evaluates heart function and blood flow during exercise to assess cardiovascular health under exertion.
